Would I be wasting my time?

Whippeticious · 11th of December 2008 (Thu)

I love looking at all the photos here, especially the ones of the moon that for some reason I find strangely hypnotic.
I want to take a photo of the moon but I get the impression you need some pretty snazzy gear to do it.
any advice on whether I could get a half decent photo with my camera?

bbulldog · 11th of December 2008 (Thu)

Hi yes you can get a good piccy with the EF 75-300mm Lens. like this one http://photography-on-the.net/forum/...d.php?t=595702
Just give it a try.
Do you have a tripod or some other way to set the camera up so it is nice and steady? Hand held you can get good results but best set up on a tripod.

also check this out as for camera settings. http://www.adidap.com/2006/12/06/moo...re-calculator/

check out some of my shots taken with a cheap 650-1300mm lens.
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/...6&postcount=31
Cost about 150 euros.
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/...d.php?t=599527
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/...d.php?t=600906
Mostly using ISO 100, f8-11 and 1/100 - 1/125 sec.

Bernoulli · 11th of December 2008 (Thu)

No special equipment needed.

Start with the longest lens you've got. You'll start to get good surface detail at about 300 mm. No need for a tripod, but you can use one. Autofocus will work fine. Use low-ish ISO, maybe 200. Now, go to full manual and open the lens all the way. Shoot with progressively faster shutter speeds starting at about 1/100 and ending at about 1/1200.

Never trust your exposure meter to set shutter speed, all that black sky will fake it out and you'll get very overexposed results. The histogram on your screen will be hard to interpret becasue almost all the pixels will be black. The disk should look rather gray, not white, on the screen if your exposure is right.

Then the most important part - show us your pictures!

Whippeticious · 11th of December 2008 (Thu)

Ooooh how exciting, thanks for the advice! that photo is encouraging, it's beautiful. If mine're half decent I will show you! Better break out the mozzie repellent tonight!

Whippeticious · 12th of December 2008 (Fri)

I wanted to have a go last night but it was completely cloudy here, maybe tonignt although it's looking like rain again all day.

jblaschke · 17th of December 2008 (Wed)

The thing about the moon is that it's so bright exposures are incredibly short relative other AP exposure times. No need to worry about tracking when using just your camera and lens for these.

For starfields, deep sky objects and planets, however, it's a different story. But the moon is a fun way to dip your toe in the water. You can get some good shots with basic equipment.

Whippeticious · 6th of January 2009 (Tue)

I got one!
No tripod, just hand held with my 400d and kit lens. I cheated, it was taken in daylight, I just darkened it to make it look like nighttime.

Bernoulli · 6th of January 2009 (Tue)

Looks like a winner! Of course you need to turn it upside down so we Yanks can recognize it

Don't tell anyone how easy this is.

Jeff · 7th of January 2009 (Wed)

Looks nice. Would you mind posting the un-darkened version? I'll bet that one looks great in it's own right.

Disturbed UTT · 7th of January 2009 (Wed)

I've taken so many pictures of the moon. Just can't get enough. I never remember the settings I use though. I always shoot in "M" mode (just what I've got used to) Hand held, partial metering, iso 100, wide open then play around with the shutter speed. I ignore the cameras light meter and just keep playing and chimping till it starts to look right. I think the trick is to take lots to be sure to get a keeper. I think people forget how bright the moon is and think a slower shutter is needed as it's at night. Also, don't forget that the moon is a moving target.

There's some on my Flickr page if you fancy taking a look.

Disturbed UTT · 7th of January 2009 (Wed)

Here's one of mine from a few month ago (different setting to what I suggested above). ISO 400 F/8 shutter 1/400th 300mm

Adrena1in · 7th of January 2009 (Wed)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Whippeticious

I got one!

That was with the 400D and Kit Lens? Excellent sharpness!!

Whippeticious · 7th of January 2009 (Wed)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff

Looks nice. Would you mind posting the un-darkened version? I'll bet that one looks great in it's own right.

this is just trimmed and sharpened a bit, no colour change, pretty much straight off the camera.

Yes Adrena1in it's the kit lens.

Whippeticious · 7th of January 2009 (Wed)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Disturbed UTT

Here's one of mine from a few month ago (different setting to what I suggested above). ISO 400 F/8 shutter 1/400th 300mm

You've got the same camera, that's encouraging for me to see!

11th of December 2008 (Thu)	#1
Whippeticious Goldmember Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Australia Posts: 2,201 IMAGE EDITING OK	Would I be wasting my time? I love looking at all the photos here, especially the ones of the moon that for some reason I find strangely hypnotic. I want to take a photo of the moon but I get the impression you need some pretty snazzy gear to do it. any advice on whether I could get a half decent photo with my camera?

11th of December 2008 (Thu)	#2
bbulldog Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Germany but born in Woolwich, London Posts: 1,135 IMAGE EDITING OK	Re: Would I be wasting my time? Hi yes you can get a good piccy with the EF 75-300mm Lens. like this one http://photography-on-the.net/forum/...d.php?t=595702 Just give it a try. Do you have a tripod or some other way to set the camera up so it is nice and steady? Hand held you can get good results but best set up on a tripod. also check this out as for camera settings. http://www.adidap.com/2006/12/06/moo...re-calculator/ check out some of my shots taken with a cheap 650-1300mm lens. http://photography-on-the.net/forum/...6&postcount=31 Cost about 150 euros. http://photography-on-the.net/forum/...d.php?t=599527 http://photography-on-the.net/forum/...d.php?t=600906 Mostly using ISO 100, f8-11 and 1/100 - 1/125 sec. __________________ Canon EOS 50D gripped Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro USM, EF 28-105mm f/4-5.6 USM, EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III USM Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Walimex 650-1300mm Canon MR-14EX, Sigma EF-500 DG Super Flash, *CELESTRON* C6-SGT

11th of December 2008 (Thu)	#3
Bernoulli Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: NW Arkansas Posts: 799 IMAGE EDITING OK	Re: Would I be wasting my time? No special equipment needed. Start with the longest lens you've got. You'll start to get good surface detail at about 300 mm. No need for a tripod, but you can use one. Autofocus will work fine. Use low-ish ISO, maybe 200. Now, go to full manual and open the lens all the way. Shoot with progressively faster shutter speeds starting at about 1/100 and ending at about 1/1200. Never trust your exposure meter to set shutter speed, all that black sky will fake it out and you'll get very overexposed results. The histogram on your screen will be hard to interpret becasue almost all the pixels will be black. The disk should look rather gray, not white, on the screen if your exposure is right. Then the most important part - show us your pictures! Last edited by Bernoulli : 11th of December 2008 (Thu) at 07:59.

11th of December 2008 (Thu)	#4
Whippeticious Goldmember Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Australia Posts: 2,201 IMAGE EDITING OK	Re: Would I be wasting my time? Ooooh how exciting, thanks for the advice! that photo is encouraging, it's beautiful. If mine're half decent I will show you! Better break out the mozzie repellent tonight!

12th of December 2008 (Fri)	#5
Whippeticious Goldmember Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Australia Posts: 2,201 IMAGE EDITING OK	Re: Would I be wasting my time? I wanted to have a go last night but it was completely cloudy here, maybe tonignt although it's looking like rain again all day.

17th of December 2008 (Wed)	#6
jblaschke Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: New Braunfels, Texas Posts: 1,423 IMAGE EDITING OK	Re: Would I be wasting my time? The thing about the moon is that it's so bright exposures are incredibly short relative other AP exposure times. No need to worry about tracking when using just your camera and lens for these. For starfields, deep sky objects and planets, however, it's a different story. But the moon is a fun way to dip your toe in the water. You can get some good shots with basic equipment. __________________ Canon 7D \| Canon 50D IR modified \| Canon EF 70-200mm 2.8 IS L \| Canon FD 500mm 8.0 Reflex \| Canon EF 85mm 1.8 \| Canon EF 50mm 1.8 mk I \| Canon EF-S 10-22mm \| Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 \| Meade 645 (762mm f/5) Model Mayhem \| DeviantArt \| Lisa On Location: New Braunfels Photography

6th of January 2009 (Tue)	#7
Whippeticious Goldmember Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Australia Posts: 2,201 IMAGE EDITING OK	Re: Would I be wasting my time? I got one! No tripod, just hand held with my 400d and kit lens. I cheated, it was taken in daylight, I just darkened it to make it look like nighttime.

6th of January 2009 (Tue)	#8
Bernoulli Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: NW Arkansas Posts: 799 IMAGE EDITING OK	Re: Would I be wasting my time? Looks like a winner! Of course you need to turn it upside down so we Yanks can recognize it Don't tell anyone how easy this is.

7th of January 2009 (Wed)	#9
Jeff Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: 42° 34' N 87° 55' W Kenosha, WI Posts: 1,428 IMAGE EDITING OK	Re: Would I be wasting my time? Looks nice. Would you mind posting the un-darkened version? I'll bet that one looks great in it's own right. __________________ Jeff 50D Grrrrip'd \| Tokina 12-24 \| Canon 50mm f/1.4 \| Tamron 17-50 f/2.8 \| Canon 28-135 IS\| 430EX Astrophotograpy: Meade 10" LX200/UHTC, Orion 5" Mak, Vixen 80mm f/5, Coronado PST, Atlas EQ-G to keep it all off the ground. MY AIRPLANE PICS \| MY ASTRO PICS

7th of January 2009 (Wed)	#10
Disturbed UTT Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, UK Posts: 542 IMAGE EDITING OK	Re: Would I be wasting my time? I've taken so many pictures of the moon. Just can't get enough. I never remember the settings I use though. I always shoot in "M" mode (just what I've got used to) Hand held, partial metering, iso 100, wide open then play around with the shutter speed. I ignore the cameras light meter and just keep playing and chimping till it starts to look right. I think the trick is to take lots to be sure to get a keeper. I think people forget how bright the moon is and think a slower shutter is needed as it's at night. Also, don't forget that the moon is a moving target. There's some on my Flickr page if you fancy taking a look. __________________ flickr Canon EOS 7D \| Canon EOS 400D Gripped Canon EF-S 17-55 IS F/2.8 \| Canon 50mm F1.8 mk1 \| Canon 100mm F/2.8 Macro \| Canon 70-200 F/4 L USM (non IS) \| Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS USM Canon 430ex II & 580ex II

7th of January 2009 (Wed)	#11
Disturbed UTT Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, UK Posts: 542 IMAGE EDITING OK	Re: Would I be wasting my time? Here's one of mine from a few month ago (different setting to what I suggested above). ISO 400 F/8 shutter 1/400th 300mm __________________ flickr Canon EOS 7D \| Canon EOS 400D Gripped Canon EF-S 17-55 IS F/2.8 \| Canon 50mm F1.8 mk1 \| Canon 100mm F/2.8 Macro \| Canon 70-200 F/4 L USM (non IS) \| Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS USM Canon 430ex II & 580ex II

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